Bluebird Care award winners aim for a £2 million turnover

\"We are hoping to double our turnover again in 2010 to £2 million. We will achieve this through expanding our business, as we have recently opened a second office and signed a new franchise agreement to cover an expanded territory. This has also enabled us to renew our franchise agreement with Bluebird Care early as we've been delighted with the business.\"

Joint Bluebird Care franchise owners Phil Miles and John Prendergast are aiming to achieve a £2 million turnover by the end of 2010. The business partners previously worked together in contract sales before deciding to set up their own business.

"We were fed up of working for somebody else and began looking into options available to us," recalls Phil. "We began researching the domiciliary care industry as it struck us as a market that was growing quickly and with the population getting older would continue to grow. We also felt that our experience of recruiting teams of people and managing them would enable us to establish a well managed business in the industry.

"As we didn't have experience in social care we decided that the back up and support that a franchise would provide would be our best option. We came across Bluebird Care while researching franchise opportunities available to us. We decided to invest in a Bluebird Care franchise as we were impressed with the team at head office, we felt they knew what they were doing, and the company had an approach to marketing that was similar to ours."

Phil and John launched their West Berkshire and Basingstoke-based franchise in November 2007. "Within the first few months of launching our franchise we got off to a good start," reflects Phil. "Between the months of January and March 2008 the business significantly increased its turnover quickly. This was mainly due to the thorough business planning we did in the months leading up to our launch and the fact that we had a clear marketing strategy.

"When we launched our Bluebird Care business we were one of the first 10 franchises and since then we have seen the network grow to 60 plus franchise owners. The growth of the Bluebird Care brand has aided our credibility, especially with the partnership Bluebird Care has established with Boots."

2009 was a successful year for Phil and John as they not only achieved a turnover of £1 million but also won the Bluebird Care Franchise of the Year Award. "Last year we more than doubled our first year turnover," Phil reveals. "Our success has been down to being able to generate business relatively easily and we now have social services contracts, as well as links with organisations such as the Royal British Legion and Help the Aged.

"We are hoping to double our turnover again in 2010 to £2 million. We will achieve this through expanding our business, as we have recently opened a second office and signed a new franchise agreement to cover an expanded territory. This has also enabled us to renew our franchise agreement with Bluebird Care early as we've been delighted with the business."

As well as this financial success Phil and John are also achieving personal goals they had set themselves, Phil explains: "Since launching our Bluebird Care business we have got all the things we had aimed for - we have no boss, we have more freedom and we still have a lot more growth left in the business."

Reported by Derin Ibrahim

Summary

A four month start-up programme including both franchise owner initial training and staff training courses.
Assistance with office search and senior staff recruitment.
Detailed Operations Manual.
HP PC loaded with industry leading software, accounts and payroll packages.
Training on business software.
Hosted email addresses, website and intranet.
Complete stationery, business forms pack and promotion materials.
Full staff training materials including DVDs and manuals.
Initial supply of staff workwear.
Membership of professional care association.
Full assistance and fees for registration with care authorities.
Franchise territory research.
Licensing rights to your own defined, exclusive territory.

Franchise package:
£29,500 + VAT